//------------------------------//
// Starting the Everfree Adventures 
// Story: Shard: The Dark King Returns 
// by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof 
//------------------------------//

	"I never thought I would say this," Fluttershy said as she looked at the forest in front of her, "but I kind of wish the sun was out all the way."

"It wouldn't help," Rainbow Dash replied.  "Trust me, this place is always creepy looking."

"It's not that bad," Pinkie stated, once more in her pink earth pony guise.

"'sides," Applejack added, "it don't matter how the place looks.  It's about what goes on out here."

"Alright girls," Rarity called out.  "Let us save the ghost stories for when we set up camp.  That is, assuming we do so."  She turned toward Twilight.  "Where exactly are we trying to go?"

"Supposedly The Castle of Time is out here," Twilight answered.  "It is said to be the original castle for The Princess of Time over a thousand years ago and supposed to be the last place The Elements of Harmony were last known to exist."

The six of them continued on, following the closest thing to a trail that they could find.  Rainbow Dash and Twilight led the way, the first because she felt she should be the first to take on any danger, and the second because she had the best idea on where the group was actually trying to get to.  Applejack pulled up the rear, figuring her earth pony strength and bucking abilities with her bio-mechanical legs would be a good way to handle anything attacking them from behind.  Rarity stayed close to the middle with Fluttershy while Pinkie Pie moved around, looking at some of the things nearby curiously.

A groaning creaking sound filled the air, causing the six mares to stop.  The noise grew louder, turning into a thundering crack as some of the trees ahead of them started to fall, blocking the path ahead.

"AJ!" Rainbow Dash shouted, darting toward the trees and trying to stop them from falling.

"Got it!" Applejack called out, running after the pegasus.

Rainbow Dash flew up and got between the trees, pressing herself where the trunks met.  She pushed up hard as she could, wings flapping with all her might.  As much as she would have liked to be, Rainbow Dash was not strong enough to stop two eight-foot tall trees from collapsing.

She was, however, able to slow it down enough that Applejack was able to get underneath them as well.  Rainbow Dash landed on the farm pony's back, bracing herself.  There was a metallic groan as the weight settled onto Applejack's back, her mechanical legs shifting to take most of the weight.

"I got ya," Applejack groaned.  "Don't know how long though."

"The rest of you hurry," Dash called out, legs shaking.

The other four ran as quickly as they could, moving to the sides of the pair of piled ponies and slipping through the gaps.  Soon the four were past and waiting on the other side.

"Alright," Applejack said.  "They're past.  Now it's your turn."

"Get ready," Rainbow replied.  "This is probably going to hurt.  On three, push up hard.  One... two...

"Three!"

The pair pushed up hard, lifting the trees for a split second.  It was enough time for Rainbow Dash to give a flap of her wings as she flew backwards, slipping out from under the trees.  As she did, she grabbed Applejack's tail, yanking hard.

Applejack let out a yelp of surprise and pain as she was pulled out from under the falling trees.  The trees fell the rest of the way, hitting the ground.  Applejack was doing the same, falling onto her stomach as she was released.

"Are you two okay?" Fluttershy asked.

"I'm going to be sore," Rainbow Dash answered as she stretched her wings, "but nothing's damaged.  AJ?"

Applejack pushed herself up from her stomach and shook herself.  She lifted and lowered each leg, checking them.  Her left mechanical leg gave out a groan of gears grinding against each other.

"I can walk," Applejack said, "but I think that buckin' anything is out 'til I can get some repairs done."

"Looks like we can't go back this way."  Pinkie Pie poked at one of the branches from the fallen trees.  "Wonder what made them fall."

"I doubt it matters," Rarity said.  "Besides, if this is anything like an adventure storybook, things are going to get a lot more difficult before we are finished."

"We should keep moving then," Fluttershy suggested.  "This doesn't really seem like a good place to stop and rest."

"Maybe we should have gone to see Zecora first," Rainbow Dash thought aloud as she moved to take the lead again.

"You sure we're headed in the right direction, Twilight?"

"Doesn't really matter now," Twilight responded.  "We can't really go back now."

Slowly the six of them resumed their trek, heading deeper into The Everfree Forest.

"Oh you are quite right my dear," Sombra's voice said.  "This is only the beginning."